My brow furrows, and as much as I dislike the corruption, I’m not sure her words are entirely true. She’s feeling overwhelmed, and I’m here for that.

  “What can I do?”

  She lifts her pretty eyes to mine. “What if I told you I killed a man?”

  Pulling my chin back, I arch an eyebrow. “I’d find that hard to believe. You’re controlled, and you’re very strong. You’ll do whatever it takes to keep your family safe, but you’re not a killer.”

  “What makes a killer?”

  “Determination, resolve… Uncontrollable rage. Passion, belief in some greater good. A million different things.”

  “Have you killed anyone?”

  “Yes, in the military. I didn’t know their names or their faces. Still, it took a piece of me.”

  She’s quiet, not looking up, still holding the doors partially closed.

  “I can only carry you so far, Blake. At some point, you’re going to have to tell me everything.”

  Her eyes lift slowly to mine, and she blinks several times. “They’re after Hana for more than porn. They think she murdered a man… Or somehow participated in his murder.”

  Stepping back, I slide my hand over my mouth. This is news, and it makes partial sense, knowing what I know of Hana. But I’d as soon believe Hana is a murderer as I’d believe Blake is one. “Do they have any proof?”

  “I don’t know. I don’t think so.” Her eyes fall to the ground. “But they know what happened to her, what Victor did.”

  “How could they know that? Did she tell them?”

  “Trip implied Debbie told them, but I don’t believe that.” Anger sets in her jaw. “He probably bragged about it. She’s a beautiful young girl. I’m sure having her was an ego boost, a testament of his virility… or his cruelty.”

  “I feel like you’re angry with me.”

  “I’m angry with what he did, and what they’re trying to do now, justifying it as some code of honor. It’s a code that victimizes a young girl then makes it her fault if she does anything to protect herself.”

  Holding out my hand, I approach slowly. “Are you saying you think she’s guilty?”

  Shaking her dark head, she wraps her arms around her waist and shivers. “I don’t want to believe it. I don't believe she’d have the strength to do something like that, but I’ve never been abused that way. I don’t know what it makes you capable of doing.”

  “We can get her help. I know places she can go, places for people like her–”

  “People like her?” She flashes at me. “I’m not shipping her off somewhere to be treated like a criminal. I know you don’t approve of her, but not everyone has had a privileged upbringing like you.”

  Exhaling slowly, I gentle my tone. “You were as privileged as I was growing up.”

  “It’s not the same. You had the power to control your world. We had none.”

  “Maybe,” I nod. “Still, you can’t excuse her for what she did–if she did this. Being a victim only gets you so far. You can’t protect her from the consequences of her actions.”

  “Yes I can!” Her voice rises, but it breaks as she continues. “I will protect her. I’m the only one who will.”

  Her shoulders fall, and I’m there to catch her. “I’ll help you.”

  “No.” She twists in my arms, and I loosen my hold. “You don’t care about her. You’re just like them trying to control us, trying to make us do what you think we should do, behave how you want us to behave.”

  “I’m not like anyone.” Catching her face in my hands, I slide her silky hair off her cheeks. “I do care, and we’re going to make something better. Together.”

  She hesitates, blinking up at me. Her full lips part, and she’s breathing fast, her beautiful breasts rising and falling rapidly against my chest.

  A spotlight passes across the sky, illuminating the mist glistening in her eyes, and I lean forward, covering her lips with mine, sealing my promise in the language we speak best.

  “Hutch…” A soft whimper escapes her throat as she turns her face, and I slide my hands up the back of her thighs, lifting her skirt as I lift her off her feet.

  Her legs wrap around me, and I back her against the wall, dropping my face to consume her mouth. Her arms surround my neck, and our kisses rise and dip, tilt and dive, tongues chasing and curling together.

  It’s sloppy and sensual. I suck the tip of her chin before dragging my teeth along the line of her jaw. Her hips rock against my growing erection, and she moans, pushing the jacket off my shoulders.

  “Are you wet for me?” She nods quickly, and I lower her to her feet. “I want to taste you.”

  Dropping to my knees, I lift her leg over my shoulder before burying my face in her bare pussy, dragging my tongue slowly up the line to her clit.

  “Oh, God!” She hisses, and her knee buckles.

  I brace her against the wall with my palms, spreading her open as I kiss the crease of her thigh. Moving higher, I trace kisses along her lower belly, scenting the faint rose on her skin.

  Slim fingers stab into my hair as I move lower again, sliding her lace thong down to her ankles. My tongue covers her clit again and again. She whimpers as I consume her delicate ocean taste, touching her lightly with my teeth before releasing her leg and testing her core with my fingers.

  She rises on her toes, bucking her hips against my face, coating my hand in her juices. “I’m coming…” She gasps, and I pull away, rising to my feet as I unfasten my jeans.

  “I want your come on my cock.” Gripping her ass, I lift her again, holding her against the wall before sliding fully into her slippery depths.

  She gasps a loud Oh, and I groan, holding a moment to find my balance as her hot body grips me.

  I rock into her slowly gaining speed. “You’re so wet… So tight.”

  Her sweet pussy massages me, and her legs flex around my waist. Dropping her head back, her entire body tenses and she breaks into loud moans and orgasmic spasms.

  “That’s my girl.” I slide my palm over her forehead, pressing her head against the wall as I kiss her deeply.

  She’s my favorite drug, and I can never get enough of her. We’re not like anyone else. She’s mine, and I claim her this night with my heart, with my soul, and with my cock.

  Two more thrusts, and I’m gone, pulsing deep, filling her so that it spills down onto my legs. Her soft lips touch my cheek, my temple, my eyebrow. Her fingers lace in my hair, and I lift my chin to taste her mouth one more time.

  Our breathing calms. She’s in my arms, and the stars light her pretty eyes.

  She’s so beautiful. I can’t get enough of looking at her. Her body is made for me, and I’m aroused whenever she’s in my presence. Hell, at the very thought of her.

  Resting an elbow on my shoulder, she teases the side of my hair with her finger, a little smile curling her lips. “Why don’t you have a girlfriend? Or a wife? You’re definitely old enough.”

  It’s unexpected, and it makes me chuckle. I lean forward to kiss her lips. “Are you insulting me?”

  “It’s just, you seem like the type to be so traditional…”

  “Maybe I haven’t had time for tradition.”

  “Maybe?”

  “Maybe I had other things on my mind.”

  “I don’t believe you.” Her eyes lift to mine, dark and tempting. “You fuck me like you can’t get enough.”

  Heat sizzles in my belly, and I’m very aware of her body against mine. “You’re something I waited for a long time.”

  “I like to think of you waiting for me. Jerking off for me.” She leans closer, her voice drops as her lips brush my skin. “You were the first man to make my pussy wet.”

  My dick rises to life. “We should head down to your apartment now. I want to fuck you properly in a bed.”

  Soft palms cup my cheeks, and she looks into my eyes. “Take me home, Hutch.”

  My brow furrows, and I’m not sure I understand. “Where is home?”

  Looking over my shoulder, she exhales. “I don’t know anymore.” Her eyes return to mine. “Would you take me back to Hamiltown?”

  Satisfaction fills my stomach, and I kiss her soft cheek. “Yes, I will.”

  23

  Blake

  Sunlight warms my face, and I open my eyes to the dawn streaming in through Hutch’s window. Glancing to the side, I see I’m alone in his enormous bed, but it’s okay. I stretch my arms over my head, sliding lower in the blankets as recent memories fill my mind.

  Last night, we left New York, boarded a private jet and landed in Charleston less than four hours later. A short drive, watching the headlights trace his square jaw and perfectly straight nose, my fingers laced with his on the console of his truck, and we were here.

  It was after two, and he carried me straight to his bed, where I curled up in his arms. He kissed me softly on my head, removed all my clothes, and we made love sweetly, gently, confidently.

  He’s right we’re not like anyone else. What’s happening between us changes everything. Our families have been adjacent for so long. They’ve built a town, feuded, made slow progress towards reconciliation, and in us, they unite.

  Perhaps I’ve always been his. Perhaps the circumstances of our lives have been leading us to this point all along, even when we were far apart, even when I was furious at him for interfering with my life. Now I can’t imagine being without him.

  One thing is left–I need my uncle back. I need him to tell me how he got that book and what he knows about the disappearance of Victor Petrova. I need him to help me clear Hana’s name, or protect her.

  My brow furrows, and I sit up in the bed trying to figure out a way to make it happen when the large wooden door opens. My frown melts into a smile when I see Hutch standing there in jeans and a gray Henley holding a mug of coffee.

  “Not disturbing you, I hope.” His low voice soothes my insides, and I rearrange the pillows so I can lean back against them.

  “Are you bringing me coffee in bed? I feel like a princess.”

  A sexy grin reveals straight white teeth, and he sits beside me, passing over the mug. “I watched how you prepared it at Steamy Beans.”

  “Mmm…” I sniff the warm brew. “Is there cinnamon in it?”

  “No cinnamon.” His voice is gentle, and his large hand covers my bare foot as I take a sip. “Do you like to ski?”

  I tilt my head to the side. “I’ve only ever snow skied.”

  “It’s a beautiful spring day. We’re going to the lake. Get dressed, and I’ll run you by your uncle’s to grab a bathing suit and Hana. Let’s go.”

  A smile splits my cheeks and in spite of everything, it feels kind of perfect. “Okay!”

  Setting my mug aside, I throw back the covers and hop out of bed.

  “The sun feels so good on my skin.” Hana leans back on her elbows on a towel, closing her eyes behind dark, oversized shades.

  We’re on a long, wooden pier watching Pepper being pulled behind Hutch’s glistening, polished-wood speedboat. It’s a gorgeous craft, slicing through the dark waters with hardly a bounce. Dirk is at the wheel beside his brother who’s watching their little charge. Scar is behind us, keeping watch from the picnic area farther up on the bank.

  “It always feels so good after a long winter.” I’m considering the metaphor to our lives as I finish applying sunscreen to my chest. My hands are covered, so I lean over to rub the excess on her pale skin. “You’ll burn if you don’t reapply.”

  She sits up fast, blocking me with her hand and laughing. “Okay, Mother Hen, I got it.”

  I pass her the bottle before leaning back in the lounge chair I’ve placed beside her. She’s wearing a tiny, white-lace bikini that’s only a few shades darker than her pale skin.

  By contrast, my olive skin is already bronzed. Still, I have a wide-brimmed hat, and I’m covered in sunscreen from head to toe in my high-waisted black two-piece.

  “Look at me, Hana!” Pepper yells, waving her hand so hard she almost loses her balance. My sister erupts with laughter when the little girl lifts one of the giant waterskis, crying, “One hand and one foot!”

  Hana drops the sunscreen and grabs her camera off the towel, snapping photos. “Do it again!” she yells, and I grin as I watch them.

  Hutch agreed to back off his judgment that my sister is a “bad influence,” as long as I promised to keep an eye on Hana’s extracurricular activities. So far, so good.

  “She’s amazing. Pure joy.” Hana looks down at her camera, sliding through the shots. “I’ve never known a kid to be so athletically inclined. It’s like she can do anything.”

  “I love how close you are.” I’m quiet, watching her as she lifts the device and takes more shots of the men in the boat, and the little girl sinking into the water as they slow. “She really looks up to you.”

  “I don’t know if that’s true.” Dark blue eyes meet mine before returning to the camera. “We have a lot in common. We both lost parents when we were young. We both come from these super-rich families…”

  “That’s about as far as it goes. Pepper goes to public school, she gets dirty, she’s never even been to New York.”

  “She’s also really thoughtful, and sensitive. Just because she’s playful, people don’t realize she can be hurt, too.”

  Her voice is quiet, and an ache is in my chest. I know Hana is sensitive. I see it in her art, and I know it’s what provokes her self-destructive behavior.

  “You were hurt pretty bad at her age.” I say it quietly, like I’m approaching a wounded animal, waiting to see if she’ll engage or shut down as usual.

  To my surprise, she answers. “I was a little older than her.”

  “Not much.” I hesitate, hoping I don’t go too fast. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there to make it stop.”

  “No one could stop him. He was stronger than everyone.” She leans back, lowering the camera.

  Her words conjure the image of a small child, a little girl, told by a dark monster she’ll never escape him, no one can save her.

  “Somebody was stronger than him. He’s gone now.” I study her eyes, closed behind her dark shades, and she doesn’t flinch.

  She’s calm as the lake before we launched the boat and disturbed the waters.

  “Hana?”

  Her dark eyes open slowly and turn to me, too wide, too round.

  Still, she gives nothing away. “One less predator.”

  The boat cruises up, and I’m still watching her for any show of emotion–fear, hesitation, satisfaction. I get nothing.

  “Who’s ready for a burger?” Dirk calls, steering them closer to the pier while Hutch reaches for a post to toss the rope around.

  “Me, me, meeee!” Pepper’s voice is loud, and Hana turns away.

  “You’re always hungry!” A huge smile breaks across my sister’s face, and she jumps up to grab Pepper’s hand as she skips across to the wooden planks.

  I exhale slowly, disappointed that we were so close. Then my eyes flicker to the flex of Hutch’s muscles as he ties up the boat. He’s in swim trunks and a tee, and I picture us swimming in the lake, our bodies sliding together in the cool water, trunks sliding lower, bathing suit bottoms gone…

  His eyes lift to mine, and a wicked grin curls his lips. He hops up on the pier and walks straight to where I’m sitting, placing both hands on the arms of my chair and leaning close.

  “You’d better stop looking at me that way or I’ll have to take you somewhere private.”

  “I’m ready when you are.”

  He leans closer, sealing his lips to mine and giving me a quick taste of his tongue. He’s salty and smells like coconut from the sunscreen, and I reach up to cup his scruffy cheeks.

  “Okay, keep it PG, people.” Dirk teases us as he thuds past us on the pier.

  Exhaling a laugh, Hutch reaches for my hands as he straightens. I let him pull me up, grabbing the white cotton cover-up off my chair as I follow him to where Scar already has burgers going on one of the outdoor grills near the picnic area.

  “Silent but deadly,” I tease, holding Hutch’s arm as we approach the group.

  “It’s all true, but I’d trust him with my life.”

  “I’m trying to decide if I trust him with my sister.”

  Hana stands away, holding Pepper’s hand, and Scar hands them two paper plates with thick hamburger patties on buns. She eyes the food, and my throat tightens, remembering her disordered eating.

  “I made it for you.” Scar’s low voice draws her attention, and her lips tense before relaxing into a cautious smile.

  “Thank you.” She looks up at the towering beast of a man.

  He touches her forearm lightly. “I’ll join you in a minute.”

  “This looks GREAT!” Pepper shouts, marching to where Dirk has unpacked condiments on a wooden table.

  He hands her a soft drink before twisting the cap off a bottle of Abita Amber and taking a long drink. “This might be a perfect day.”

  Scar glances at us, and his wolf eyes stutter my heart. He really is intimidating. He’s a few inches taller than Hutch but slimmer. His body is long, lean, inked muscle.

  “Burger or hot dog?”

  Hutch glances at the picnic tables and calls to Dirk. “Cole slaw?”

  “You know it!” His brother holds up a plastic container.

  “Give us a couple of dogs.” He gives me a wink. “I’ll make you a southern style hot dog.”

  “It’s not southern style if there’s no chili!” I give his arm a little shove, and his eyebrows rise.

  “Listen to you knowing so much.”

  “You act like I’ve never been here before. I know how to make a South Carolina hot dog.”

  Holding up both hands, he flashes me a white smile. “What will the lady have?”

  This time I give him a wink. “We’ll have a couple hot dogs, please. Just don’t call them southern style.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” Hutch chuckles low, and it makes my stomach squeeze.

  I haven’t had a chance to see the playful side of him. It’s sexy, and a welcome reprieve from the pressure of the last few weeks.